PANJIM, May 16 -- Ajit John

For many visitors, the Panjim bus stand serves as their first impression of Goa's capital - a city internationally renowned as a tourist paradise. This vital hub connects local routes within Panjim, statewide destinations, and outstation services, catering to thousands of residents, interstate travellers, and budget tourists from across India and abroad.

However, despite Panjim's label as a "smart city", the bus stand paints a very different picture. From inadequate cleanliness and haphazard parking to neglected waste management and safety lapses, the facility struggles to meet even basic public expectations. With over 1,000 buses operating daily and more than one lakh passengers using the stand, the case for...